The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has decried the slow pace of work on the Agbara–Seme section of the Lagos–Badagry expressway, describing the condition of the road as “pathetic” and a shame to the nation.
The 46 km Agbara–Seme border expressway which was awarded to CGC Construction Ltd, had only witnessed about five km of drainage construction from Age Mowo to Mowo since the contractor moved to site in November last year.
Speaking to News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Tuesday, CAN Coordinator in Badagry, Sunday Hunyinbo, narrated what some foreign missionaries visiting Badagry for the first time had experienced on the state of the road.
“Recently, we had some visitors from Texas, U.S.A., who came to Badagry to conduct Leadership Programmes for Ministers of God here.
“When they came, if you hear the tales of sorrow from their mouth on what they experienced before reaching Badagry, you will pity them.
“They were shouting, your roads are bad. It was a show of shame to us,” he said.
Mr Hunyinbo urged the government to show some understanding with the motorists and commuters by completing the project on schedule.
“The deplorable state of the road is affecting everybody including students.
“I heard of a student who failed his WAEC because he got to the examination hall one hour late.
“The student left home at 4.00 a.m. but spent six hours on the road, he got to examination hall one hour behind schedule.
“This is our tragedy in Badagry. Can we blame God because He created us in this place?
“People are sick and tired because of what they passed through on the road daily,” he said.
Mr Hunyinbo said the palliatives put in place by the contractor handling the project had been swept away by flood.
“All those potholes are back again. People’s cars are getting damaged; tyres are falling off the road, and engines getting spoilt.
“Now, we are back to square one. Residents are really suffering here in Badagry,” he said.
Mr Hunyinbo noted that the slow pace of the project was an indication that there was no political will on the part of the government to complete the work on time.
“I believe that if the government is sincere in doing anything, nobody can stop it; the moment government embarks on it, everybody will know that it is doing it,” the CAN official said.
He appealed to the government to release adequate fund to ensure speedy completion of the project.
“I believe this project should not take more than six months to complete; one thing is to award a contract, another thing is to release fund for the execution of the project.
“We see the contractor handling this project at their site yard daily, though they agree that the contract was awarded, but how do they work without fund? This is a serious issue,” the CAN coordinator said.
